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The links in the left column
of this box will take you further
down on the page you're now reading to the latest provincial/territorial
budget .

Government Budget Season Comes A-Knockin'
Again (PDF - 768K, 8 pages)http://goo.gl/aSIYd
February 12, 2013
This report outlines ten themes that we expect to play out during
the upcoming budget season. While each government faces different
challenges, the high-level themes presented should be relevant for
most 2013 budgets.
1. There is no economic boom on the near-term horizon
2. Some provinces to cross over into surplus territory
3. Significant tax changes to be few and far between
4. Need for additional belt-tightening if deficit reduction timetables
are not changed
5. Leaner health care and education, but both to reign supreme
6. Enduring need to articulate a credible, medium-term fiscal plan
7. Public sector compensation and labour negotiation file to remain
active
8. Infrastructure: one of the elephants in the room
9. Political uncertainty lingers under the surface
10. Long-term visions continuing to emerge

Revised Parliamentary
Budget Office (PBO) Outlook and
Assessment of the 2013 Update of Economic and Fiscal Projections - December
5

From the
Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO):

Revised PBO Outlook and Assessment of
the 2013 Update of Economic and Fiscal
Projections (PDF - 796K, 16 pages) http://www.pbo-dpb.gc.ca/files/files/Revised_EFOU_2013.pdf
]
December 5, 2013This report updates PBOs economic and fiscal
outlook to include recent policy decisions and the updated Public Accounts
of Canada 2013. This report also compares Finance Canadas projections
with PBOs and discusses the assumptions and methodologies that drive
their similarities and differences.

Source:
Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO)
http://www.pbo-dpb.gc.ca/
The mandate of the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) is to provide independent
analysis to Parliament on the state of the nations finances, the governments
estimates and trends in the Canadian economy; and upon request from a committee
or parliamentarian, to estimate the financial cost of any proposal for matters
over which Parliament has jurisdiction.

How Harper can
avoid turning a Budget Implementation Bill into a Duffy budget bill
- November 27
(By Armine Yalnizyan in the Progressive Economics Forum)

How Harper can avoid turning a Budget
Implementation Bill into a Duffy budget billhttp://www.progressive-economics.ca/2013/11/27/how-harper-can-avoid-turning-a-budget-implementation-bill-into-a-duffy-budget-bill/
Posted by Armine Yalnizyan under Conservative government, democracy, federal
budget, fiscal policy, immigration, labour market, Role of government.
November 27, 2013
On November 25th, Armine made the following submission to the House of Commons
Standing Committee on Finance regarding Bill C-4, Economic Action Plan 2013
Act No. 2, on behalf of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Excerpt:
The Supreme Court controversy that led to the measures included in this budget
implementation bill did not even arise until after the budget was tabled.
This bill rewrites the Canada Labour Code and our immigration policies. That
these types of measures have been shoe-horned into a bill that needs to be
fast-tracked before Christmas serves as warning: the Government is turning
the workhorse of a regular budget implementation bill into a Trojan Horse.Bill
C-4 looks alarmingly like a Duffy Budget Bill: stuffed with hidden measures,
designed to mislead the public. It can, and should be, amended.

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternativeshttp://www.policyalternatives.ca/
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is an independent, non-partisan
research institute concerned with issues of social, economic and environmental
justice.

Time for Talk, Not
Action - November 2013
(Caledon Institute of Social Policy)

Time for Talk, Not Action (PDF
- 28K, 2 pages)http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/PDF/1023ENG.pdf
By Michael Mendelson and Chris Atchison
November 2013
In its March 2013 Budget, Ottawa announced the new Canada Job Grant program,
promising that the detailed design would be negotiated with the
provinces over the next year. On November 8, 2013, Jason Kenney,
the new Minister of Employment and Social Development, finally found the time
to meet with his provincial counterparts. This op ed, originally published
in the Vancouver Sun on November 7, 2013, reviews the problems inherent in
the Canada Job Grant and the implications of funding the new program through
cutting employability and training for vulnerable populations. It argues that
the federal government should now work with the provinces to redesign the
program.

Harper Government Right on Track for Balanced
Budget in 2015http://www.fin.gc.ca/n13/13-147-eng.asp
Edmonton, Alberta
November 12, 2013The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today
released the annual Update of Economic and Fiscal Projections at the Edmonton
Chamber of Commerce, which confirms that the Government remains on track to
balance the budget in 2015, with an expected surplus of $3.7 billion in 201516.

Harper Government on Track for Balanced
Budget in 2015http://www.fin.gc.ca/n13/13-138-eng.asp
October 22, 2013
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today released the Annual
Financial Report of the Government of Canada for 201213. The report
shows the continued downward track of Canadas annual deficit. In 201213,
the deficit fell to $18.9 billion. This was down by more than one-quarter
($7.4 billion) from the deficit of $26.3 billion in 201112 and down
by nearly two-thirds from the $55.6-billion deficit recorded in 200910.

2013 Ontario Budget: Highlightshttp://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/budget/ontariobudgets/2013/budhi.html
[ Version française:http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/budget/ontariobudgets/2013/budhi.html
]
* A PROSPEROUS AND FAIR ONTARIO
* PATH TO BALANCE
* A PLAN FOR JOBS AND GROWTH
* A FAIR SOCIETY
(...) Proposing to Increase Opportunities for People by:
--- Introducing a $200 per month earnings exemption to reduce barriers to
employment for social assistance recipients.
--- Increasing social assistance rates, including a top-up for single adults
without children receiving Ontario Works.
--- Increasing Ontario Works liquid asset limits to help recipients save and
become more financially secure.
--- Supporting greater opportunities for Aboriginal people through direct
engagement on social assistance reform, more support for housing as well as
transforming services to better meet the needs of Aboriginal children and
young people.
* HELPING ONTARIO DRIVERS SAVE MONEY
* ONTARIO TRILLIUM BENEFIT: MORE CHOICE FOR PEOPLE

And the Conference Board of Canada notes:
The only spending category slated to receive any meaningful growth in
funding will be social services, reflecting the governments planned
increases to social assistance and its plan to increase the Ontario Child
Benefit in 2013 and 2014.

Ontario budget 2013: Liberals spend nearly
$1B to satisfy NDP, stay alivehttp://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-budget-2013The Liberals unveiled a budget Thursday designed
to keep their minority government in power, meeting many NDP demands but vowing
to remain on target to eliminate the deficit by 2017-18

- incl. links to extensive budget coverage...

------------------------------------------------------------------

From the
Globe and Mail:

Ontario NDP push Liberals after provincial
budgethttp://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario-ndp-push-liberals-after-provincial-budget/article11717777/
By Adrian Morrow
May 3, 2013
Ontarios New Democrats have hardened their demands from Premier Kathleen
Wynne a day after the provincial budget, telling the government it must build
measurable targets into its fiscal plan. Ms. Wynnes minority Liberals
gave the left-wing party nearly everything it asked for in the budget, with
promises to slash auto-insurance premiums by 15 per cent, pump money into
home care and increase benefits for welfare recipients. But NDP Leader Andrea
Horwath said Ms. Wynne has to put mechanisms in the budget to ensure the new
spending actually meets the NDPs goals.
- also includes links to the following articles:* NDP demands accountability in Ontario budget
* Ontario unveils budget, opposition support not clear
* Ontario budget sees 2013-14 deficit of C$11.7 billion

Ontario budget: Kathleen Wynne rules out
big changes to appease NDPhttp://goo.gl/qh60A
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath plans to talk to Ontarians before she sits down
with Premier Kathleen Wynne to announce whether the New Democrats will prop
up the Liberals.

Ontario budget 2013: Changes to social
assistance far-reaching and fundamentalhttp://goo.gl/OecQP
The Ontario Liberals budget includes $400 million over three years to
begin transforming the welfare system. Anti-poverty activists are welcoming
the Wynne governments first steps to transform Ontarios
$8.3 billion welfare system into a program that helps more people, including
the disabled, escape poverty through employment.

Ontario Liberal budget drives debt up
another $40B over two years
http://www.torontosun.com/2013/05/02/ontario-liberals-unveil-provincial-budget
TORONTO - Ontarios scandal-plagued Liberal government plans to drive
up debt by more than $40 billion over the next two years. Finance Minister
Charles Sousa introduced a budget Thursday calculated to appease the NDP,
avoid an election and maintain minority Premier Kathleen Wynnes grasp
on power.

More Sun Coverage of the 2013 Ontario Budget
Click the link above, then select one of the following articles.
* Ontario's finances in a mess thanks to Liberals' make-believe budgets
* Snapshot of 2013 Ontario budget
* Time to judge the Liberals
* NDP wont defeat the Liberals budget
* Rob Ford both 'happy' and 'somewhat concerned' about Ontario budget
* Horwath says she'll follow what Ontarians tell her about budget
* Rob Ford 'disappointed' no subway money in Wynne's budget
* NDP Leader Andrea Horwath needs to grow up and make a decision
* Nothing Liberals promise should be trusted

Establishing a Goldilocks Standard
for people earning money
while receiving social assistance : What should we make of the Ontario Budget
measure to exempt the first $200 in earnings? (PDF - 124K, 8 pages)http://openpolicyontario.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/How-should-we-think-about-the-earnings-of-social-assistance-recipients.pdf
By John Stapleton
May 2013
(...)
Depending what bothers governments most about the current system of incentives
tends to guide how they deal with the earnings exemptions each will implement.
But Kathleen Wynne has followed the case made in Brighter Prospects in a fairly
sensible way and one that will make even more sense should minimum wages be
raised. She is recognizing the need to get into work force, to stay in the
work force and to pay attention to politically contentious surface
equity issues respecting the working poor. All in all, she is making a reasonable
start under the circumstances.

Budget 2013 Analysis:
Moving Forward on Social Assistance Reform (Word file - 81K, 3 pages)http://www.incomesecurity.org/documents/BudgetAnalysis2013.doc
Budget 2013 has begun to make positive changes to a social assistance system
that has continued to impoverish and cause hardship for low-income Ontarians.As
a package, these changes don't make major progress toward improving the lives
of people on Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program
(ODSP), but do represent positive steps toward making the systemic changes
that are required.

Source:
Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC)http://www.incomesecurity.org/
The Income Security Advocacy Centre works with and on behalf of low income
communities in Ontario to address issues of income security and poverty.

Source:
25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reductionhttp://25in5.ca/
25-in-5: Network for Poverty Reduction is a multi-sectoral network comprised
of more than 100 provincial and Toronto-based organizations and individuals
working on eliminating poverty.

------------------------------------------------------------------

From the
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP):

Wynne's First Budget - More Austerity
and Deeper Poverty:
2013-2014 Ontario Provincial Budget Breakdown by OCAPhttp://www.ocap.ca/node/1077
May 2, 2013
OCAP had no great expectations that the 'Social Justice Premier's' first Budget
would give poor communities in Ontario much reason to celebrate. We are surprised,
however, at just how shamelessly she has continued to push people into deeper
poverty.Key Highlights Deficit projected at $9.8 billion. Corporate tax cuts alone have
contributed $8.5 billion or approximately 87% of this deficit. The tax cuts
have not created new jobs  unemployment remains high, at 7.7%
 Ontario now spends less on programs per capita than any other province
 Cabinet Committee will work this year to implement the austerity recommendations
of the SARC report, most of which echo the Drummond report. If the government
follows through on these plans, 2014 will likely see major, devastating changes
to social assistance, especially ODSP.
 Social assistance rates will increase by 1%, with a top up of $14 for
single people on OW. This is less than inflation, so it is a cut when cost
of living is factored in.
 Everyone on OW and ODSP can now keep up to $200 per month of their
earnings, but earnings above $200 will be clawed back by 50%.
 Single adults can now keep $2500 of their assets when going on to OW.
Couples can now keep $5000.
 Government is working hard to push people with disabilities into low
wage work. Committed to working with private sector to find jobs for people
on ODSP  given how inaccessible society is, these will mostly be low
paying, precarious jobs.
 They are moving ahead with 60% of the austerity recommendations in
the Drummond Report
 Government boasts of keeping public sector wages down. Promises to
freeze wages until deficit is eliminated. Looking to cut 1500 jobs from public
sector.

Source:
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP)http://www.ocap.ca/OCAP is a direct-action anti-poverty organization based in Toronto, Ontario,
Canada. We mount campaigns against regressive government policies as they
affect poor and working people.

------------------------------------------------------------------

From the
Ontario Office of the
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives:

Ontario Budget 2013: Four More Years of
Austerityhttp://www.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/updates/four-more-years-austerityMay 2, 2013
By Hugh Mackenzie and Trish HennessyAll budgets are political in nature, but Ontarios
2013 budget  tabled by a minority government with a new leader 
stands out as a case in point: it is carefully designed to survive a non-confidence
vote. It extends a few olive branches to the opposition
NDP. A promise to reduce auto insurance premiums by 15%. Increases in spending
on home care, youth unemployment and infrastructure in rural areas and the
north. Restructuring the Employer Health Tax to claw back the small business
reduction from large corporations.

Liberals' 2013 budget insults hundreds
of thousands living in poverty:
Business keeps getting $8.5 billion in annual tax cuts, but Ontario's poor
get tiny rate increases that are wiped out by inflation and rent increaseshttp://www.marketwire.com/press-release/-1786186.htm
May 2, 2013
The Liberal 2013 budget insults hundreds of thousands of people living in
poverty in Ontario by continuing $8.5 billion in annual tax cuts for corporations,
while providing minuscule social assistance rate "increases" that
are wiped out by inflation and rent increases, anti-poverty activists with
the Raise the Rates campaign said today.

Ontario Budget 2013: Poverty Reduction
Must Remain the Priorityhttp://hamiltonpoverty.ca/?p=694
May 2, 2013
Budget commitments a start Poverty Reduction must remain the priority.
Several poverty-related measures were announced in todays Ontario budget:
including increasing social assistance rates by 1% (as well as an additional
$14 monthly increase for singles on Ontario Works) and increasing earnings
exemptions for those on social assistance that are able to work. However,
the changes do not go far enough to address the crisis facing many families
in Ontario living who live in deep poverty.

Four More Years of Deficit to go
(PDF - 700K, 5 pages)http://www.td.com/document/PDF/economics/budgets/on2013.pdf
May 2, 2013
(...) It was slightly more than a year ago when the Drummond Commission released
its report of Ontarios fiscal future if the situation was left unchanged.
Last years budget set 50% of the Commissions recommendations into
motion. This years budget picks up where last years left off as
the government
continues its push towards deficit elimination in fiscal 2017-18.

Once-in-a-generation chance to modernize
welfare lost: Goar
Premier Kathleen Wynne wanted to be the social justice premier
but ended up tinkering with the status quo.http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/05/06/onceinageneration_chance_to_modernize_welfare_lost_goar.html
By Carol Goar
May 6, 2013
Ontarios best hope of creating a modern, humane social assistance
system has expired.
Thursdays provincial budget was its last gasp. Premier Kathleen
Wynne wanted to do the right thing. She was prepared to take a political
risk for the 850,000 Ontarians struggling to get by on subsistence-level
welfare payments. But three months into the job, she realized there was
no realistic prospect of charting a new course on social assistance
as a far-sighted provincial commission proposed. Even the people she aimed
to help were balking.
So the premier took the safe, conventional route. She made a couple of
minor changes to the existing program. They wont break the bank
or ruffle many feathers. In fact, most Ontarians wont notice them
at all. It was exactly the same strategy her predecessor, Dalton McGuinty,
had followed.

So who really lost in the 2013 Ontario Budget?(...)Social assistance recipients themselves 
although few recognize it. Wynne was ready to offer them a $100-a-month
boost to the lowest welfare rate ($606 per month) plus the two measures
in Sousas budget. Instead, they lobbied for  and got 
a stay of execution for the Special Diet Allowance
[ http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/social/special_diet_apply.aspx
]
...(which will be whittled back anyway) and a continuation of the two-tier
benefit structure put in place by former premier Mike Harris in 1997* so he could slash welfare rates without being accused of punishing
the sick and injured."

* COMMENT
(by Gilles) :
It's not often that I find a factual error in a Carol Goar article, but
I really must jump in here with my welfare historian hat on. In the above
excerpt, Ms Goar refers to "the continuation of the two-tier benefit
structure" (i.e., lower benefit levels for employable clients) that
was put in place by the Harris government in 1997. In fact, the two-tier
welfare benefit structure was put in place a few generations ago, in the
late 1950s and early 1960s, with the implementation of the Ontario Family
Benefits Act and General Welfare Assistance Act.

Ontario's Liberal government won't
fall on throne speech
But further New Democratic Party support will depend on budgethttp://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2013/02/18/ontario-throne-speech-kathleen-wynne.html
February 19, 2013
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne's minority Liberal government presented
a legislative plan Tuesday that won the temporary support of the NDP,
ensuring its survival for now. New Democratic Party Leader Andrea Horwath
said the throne speech was vague, but showed some promise. (...) According
to the speech, the governing Liberals intend to remain focused on creating
jobs and improving the economy, while ensuring that opportunities are
extended to all Ontarians.
NOTE : To read the complete text of the 2013 Ontario Speech from the
Throne, click the link above and then scroll to the bottom of the
article, just before the "Comments" section.

Take Action on Budget 2013!http://25in5.ca/2013-budget-can-allow-ontarians-living-on-low-incomes-to-earn-more-keep-more-and-see-benefits-restored/February 19, 2013
Ontario is facing an historic opportunity to invest in poverty reduction
in the 2013 budget. We cant let this opportunity to pass us by.
The 2013 Budget can allow Ontarians living on low-incomes to Earn More,
Keep More and see benefits Restored.
A recent letter sent by the 25in5 Network for Poverty Reduction urges
all political parties to make minority government work for all Ontarians
by investing in poverty reduction initiatives.

* EARN MORE : Work should be a way out of
poverty, not a trap into it.
* KEEP MORE : For people on social assistance, it's impossible to get
ahead when the little you have is taken away.
* RESTORE : It's hard to reach your fullpotential on an empty stomach
or in inadequate housing.

TAKE ACTION! http://25in5.ca/1045-2/
Send an e-postcard to Premier Kathleen Wynne, PC Leader Tim Hudak, and
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath to remind them to fulfill
their commitment to reduce child poverty by 25% in Ontario by the end
of 2013.

Source:
25in5 Network for Poverty Reductionhttp://25in5.ca/
The 25in5 Network for Poverty Reduction is a multi-sectoral network of
groups and individuals working province wide to eliminate poverty in Ontario

* Budget 2013 protects families, economy
against global uncertainty, repeated floodinghttp://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?archive=2013-04-01&item=17202
News Release
April 16, 2013 Todays budget will keep building a better Manitoba
for today and the long term by focusing on the things that matter most to
families, Finance Minister Stan Struthers announced today. Budget 2013 and
a new Building and Renewal Plan will protect families, businesses and Manitobas
economy against increasingly frequent flooding and global economic uncertainty,
he said.

Update on Fiscal Arrangements (PDF -
164K, 12 pages)http://www.gov.mb.ca/finance/budget13/papers/fiscal_arrangements.pdf
The federal government made a commitment in both its 2006 and 2007 budgets
to work with provincial and territorial governments. (...) Unfortunately,
these promises have been followed by a series of unilateral changes that are
acting to erode important fiscal arrangements that support the things that
matter most to Manitobans.
CURRENT TRANSFER ARRANGEMENTS
* Major Transfers to Provinces and Territories
* Recent Changes to Major Transfers
* Implications of the Federal Governments Plan for the Renewal of the
Major Transfers to the Provinces
* Other Transfers to Provinces and Territories
* Transfers to Persons
CONCLUSION
Appendix: DESCRIPTION OF MAJOR FEDERAL TRANSFERS TO PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES........

Budget Paper E:
Reducing Poverty and Promoting Social Inclusion (PDF - 164K, 10 pages)http://www.gov.mb.ca/finance/budget13/papers/poverty.pdf
(...)
In early 2013, the Manitoba government held consultations across the province
to hear from Manitobans about these priorities and the best ways to invest
in poverty reduction and social inclusion. (...) Later in 2013, a report back
to Manitobans about what was heard, and the final action plans, will be published,
which will guide governments poverty reduction and social inclusion
initiatives until 2016. The Manitoba government is committed to ongoing community
engagement, including reaching out to those living in poverty, as these action
plans are developed and implemented.
(...)
Based on the feedback and priorities identified through consultations on the
preliminary All Aboard Action Plans, Budget 2013 responds with targeted initiatives
that aim to:
 increase and sustain the supply of rental housing;
 enhance income supports and income tax credits;
 strengthen training and workforce development supports; and
 improve access to child care.

Nova Scotia Budget 2013-2014http://novascotia.ca/budget/
April 4, 2013
Budget home page, includes links to budget themes (Creating Good Jobs - Better
Care Sooner - Making Life More Affordable) and links to more info for specific
groups (Seniors - Families - Students - Business)

Budget 2013 Brings Province Back to Balancehttp://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20130404001
News Release
April 4, 2013
Finance Minister Maureen MacDonald tabled a balanced 2013-14 provincial budget
today, April 4.
(...)
Some key initiatives from Budget 2013-14 include:
-- reducing small business tax rates for the fourth year in a row, to three
per cent
-- funding insulin pumps and supplies for youth up to 19, and supplies for
insulin pumps for people younger than 25
-- expanding dental coverage for children by four years to allow children
13 or younger to receive universal dental coverage for checkups and treatment
-- expanding newborn screening to include cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia
and eight other conditions
-- providing personal income tax relief to low-income seniors with a new non-refundable
Age Amount tax credit
-- helping students succeed in math with curriculum improvements in grades
primary to 3 and 10, doubling the time Grade 10 students learn math
-- targeted school board funding to support students with special needs, including
plans to hire 25 new program and support staff, psychologists and speech language
pathologists
(...)

Prince Edward Island Provincial Budget 2013http://www.gov.pe.ca/budget/
The 2013-2014 Provincial Budget for Prince Edward Island was presented by
Hon. Wes Sheridan, Minister of Finance, Energy and Municipal Affairs and Chair
of Treasury Board on March 27, 2013.
- main budget page, includes links to all budget documents, some of which
appear below

* Budget Address (PDF - 616K, 24 pages)http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/fema_budget13.pdf
(...) Based on consultations with Islanders, Government established a three-year
plan to reduce poverty. The Social Action Plan was released in May 2012. To
continue to support the needs of low-income Islanders and vulnerable persons,
the Budget for the Department of Community Services and Seniors will increase
by $4.4 million. Government will now be in a better position to provide for
improvements in social programs. [Budget Address, p.11]

* Background Notes on the Economy (PDF - 1.2MB, 17 pages)http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/fema_bgtpaper13.pdf
This document is an update of the economic situation of the Province since
the release of the Fall Economic Update. Primarily, this document is a retrospective
on the economic performance of the preceding year.

All Primed and Ready for the HST
(small PDF file)http://www.td.com/document/PDF/economics/budgets/pe2013.pdfMarch 27, 2013
The Prince Edward Island (PEI) government anticipates a $69 million deficit
for fiscal 2012-13, much better than what was forecast at the time of the
2012 budget. (...) In spite of the improved starting point, the deficit reduction
timetable has been extended one year to fiscal 2015-16. In the interim, deficits
ranging from $35-59 million are forecast.

Budget 2013: A Sound Plan, A Secure Futurehttp://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/2013/exec/0326n02.htm
March 26, 2013
News Release
Building on the strength of the economy and governments continued commitment
to sound fiscal management, the Dunderdale Government today released Budget
2013: A Sound Plan, A Secure Future. Budget 2013 outlines year one of Securing
the Future: A 10-Year Sustainability Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador, announced
today.

Spending on Social Programs in the 2013 Budget
Our government is also very proud of our support for, and spending on, social
programs. The following are examples of progressive social investments by
our government:
 An annual investment of $149 million in 2013-14 in the Poverty Reduction
Strategy (PRS). Some examples of PRS initiatives include expansion of the
Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program to include lowincome residents,
creation of the Supportive Living Community Partnership Program to help community-based
organizations address homelessness and introduction of the Job Start Benefit
Program to assist people leaving Income Support for work
(...)
Source:

Securing the Future : 10-Year Sustainability
Plan (PDF - 628K, 3 pages)http://www.td.com/document/PDF/economics/budgets/nl2013.pdf
(...)
Like other resource-reliant provinces, the Newfoundland and Labrador fiscal
plan has been sensitive to fluctuations in the performance of its oil and
gas sector. In an
attempt to mitigate against this volatility, the government tabled a plan
to ensure a sustainable future. Areas to be focused upon range from deficit
reduction, government program reviews and a competitive tax environment. For
net debt, the government commits to reducing net debt per capita to the all-province
average within 10 years.

An improving fiscal plan with expenditure
restraints and tax increases at its core (PDF - 624K, 3 pages)http://www.td.com/document/PDF/economics/budgets/nb2013.pdf
(...)
The New Brunswick has a daunting fiscal challenge at present  its deficits
are large relative to the size of the economy and net debt as a share of GDP
has increased by more than ten percentage points over the past five years.

ECONOMIC ACTION PLAN 2013*
JOBS, GROWTH AND LONG-TERM PROSPERITY[* formerly known as the federal budget. ]http://www.budget.gc.ca/2013/home-accueil-eng.html- Main budget 2013 page, incl. links to all budget documents, some of
which appear below.
Click the above link to see the complete budget package.
Scroll down the page for links to:
Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity
* Strengthening the Competitiveness of the Manufacturing Sector
* The New Building Canada Plan
* The Canada Job Grant: Connecting Canadians with Available Jobs
* Improving the Integrity of the Tax System

Jobs, Growth and Long-Term Prosperity
the Top Priority of Canadas Economic Action Plan 2013http://www.budget.gc.ca/2013/doc/nrc/2013-03-21-eng.html
News Release
March 21, 2013
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today unveiled the next
phase of the Harper Governments plan for jobs, growth and long-term
prosperity, Canadas Economic Action Plan 2013. While the Government
remains squarely focused on balancing the budget during this Parliament, the
Economic Action Plan introduces, among other things, a bold and innovative
skills training initiative, the largest and longest federal infrastructure
plan in Canadian history, and significant new investments to support manufacturing
and innovation in Canada.
(...)
Canadas Economic Action Plan 2013 is an intentional and deliberate low-tax
plan to control spending and keep the Government on track to balance the budget
by 2015. In fact, this plan contains the smallest increase in discretionary
spending in nearly 20 years.

Disability Awareness Week offers Canadians
an important opportunity to reflect on the varied and significant contributions
that Canadians with disabilities make to our country each and every day, and
the importance of helping to ensure that they and their families can participate
to their fullest in the promise our country has to offer."

Canada positioned to create more jobs and growth
with Royal Assent of the Economic Action Plan 2013 Acthttp://www.fin.gc.ca/n13/13-090-eng.aspJune 26, 2013
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, welcomed Royal Assent
of Bill C-60, the Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 1, which brings
into law key measures from Economic Action Plan 2013
(...)Key elements of the Economic Action Plan 2013
Act, No. 1 that will position Canada for long-term success include:--- Extending for two years the temporary accelerated
capital cost allowance for new investments in machinery and equipment
by Canadian manufacturers.
--- Reforming the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to ensure that
Canadians are given the first opportunity at available jobs.
--- Promoting adoption by enhancing the Adoption Expense Tax Credit
to better recognize the costs of adopting a child.
--- Introducing a new, temporary First-Time Donors Super Credit
for first-time claimants of the Charitable Donations Tax Credit to
encourage all young Canadians to donate to charity.
--- Improving the fairness of the tax system.

From CBC :Jim Flaherty's wish-list budgethttp://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/03/21/f-vp-weston-budget-2013.htmlBy Greg Weston
March 22, 2013
Canadians hoping the federal budget would explain exactly how the Harper government
is planning to spend all the money it filches from their weekly paycheques
might as well hit themselves over the head with a duty-free cricket bat. Finance
Minister Jim Flaherty's eighth (and possibly last) budget eliminates the import
duties on baby clothes and a wide range of sporting goods from skates and
skis to cricket bats. That much of the budget is clear. The rest, not so much.

Budget 2013: Focus on jobs training, infrastructurehttp://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/budget-2013
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is promising to balance the books without delving
deeper into government coffers, by shuffling resources to boost skills training,
infrastructure projects and the manufacturing industry.

Ottawa budget creates $241M workfare program
for First Nations youthhttp://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/ottawa-budget-creates-241m-workfare-program-for-first-nations-youth-1.1205676
A major budget initiative to make social assistance for First Nations youth
contingent on entering into a training program is likely to get a rough ride
on reserves, the NDP says. Making good on a promise from last year, this year's
budget puts $241 million over five years into training programs for young
people collecting income assistance. Half the money will go to setting up
the program on reserves, and the other half will only be accessible if welfare
recipients agree to participate in the program.

The Skilled Budget http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/Detail/?ID=1007
By Ken Battle, Sherri Torjman and Michael Mendelson
March 2013
Skills and training comprise the centerpiece of the federal Budget 2013. But
the federal document is also a skilled Budget. The government has been training
Canadians for quite some time  to dampen our expectations. The purpose
of creating a scarcity mindset is to set the stage. The ground work was so
carefully laid that Canadians were primed to expect doom and gloom. Any announcement
actually made is hailed as nothing short of miraculous.

A Filmflam Budget (PDF - 28K,
2 pages)http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/PDF/1008ENG.pdf
By Michael Mendelson
April 2013
The recent federal Budget argued that there is a serious 'skills gap' in Canada
. The Budget proposed a new Canada Job Grant to help fill that gap. But the
Canada Job Grant is a poorly thought-out program and is likely to create no
than more than a handful of training programs at best. Since the $300 million
funding for the Canada Job Grant is to be taken out of existing provincial
training programs, the result may actually be a substantial decrease in training
programs in Canada .

Canadas $6.4 billion corporate welfare
budgethttp://www.fraserinstitute.org/research-news/news/display.aspx?id=19509
By Mark Milke
March 24, 2013
If there was a theme in the recent federal budget, it was how chock full it
was with new corporate welfare. The underlying refrain was how big government
will help big business with your tax dollars.
(...)
Corporate welfare is a politically created illusion with no visible means
of support. Economists who study crony capitalism are clear about why it fails:
money is taken from taxpayers and productive businesses.
(...)
The official title of Budget 2013 was Jobs, Growth, and Long-Term Prosperity.
It should have been Grants, Subsidies and Eternal Business Handouts.
It should also have had a price tag attached for taxpayers
on the front cover: $6.4 billion in new corporate welfare.

Cutting infrastructure spending the wrong
choice for Canada, says think tankhttp://www.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/news-releases/cutting-infrastructure-spending-wrong-choice-canada-says-think-tank
March 21, 2013
News Release
OTTAWADespite government claims to the contrary, todays federal
budget actually reduces infrastructure spending, says the Canadian Centre
for Policy Alternatives. The Building Canada Fund has been reduced to $210
million in 2014-15 from its previous level of $1.25 billion a year and is
back-end loaded, with 75% of expenditures to be spent in or after 2020. All
other funding for infrastructure in the federal budget is a re-announcement
of pre-existing programs.

Analysis of the 2013 federal budgethttp://www.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/updates/analysis-2013-federal-budget
March 21, 2013Links to nine budget analyses by the following CCPA
staff,
research associates, and Alternative Federal Budget partners:
* David Macdonald: Austerity Through Infrastructure
Cuts: Budget 2013
* Kate McInturff: New Shoes and a Haircut: Budget 2013 not so pretty
for women in Canada
* Andrew Jackson: Budget 2013: Canada needs productivity and sustainability
* Canadian Labour Congress: Analysis of the 2013 Federal Budget
* Canadian Union of Public Employees: Federal Budget 2013 Key Points
* Citizens for Public Justice: Budget 2013: Human development or economic
development?
* Canadian Association of Retired Persons: Federal Budget addresses
home care and palliative care; financial literacy but little else on priority
concerns
* Canadians for Tax Fairness: Tax fairness on the agenda but much more
needs to be done
* Campaign 2000: Nothing in the budget for children...NOTE (by Gilles) : The more traffic there is ("page views")
on the above CCPA budget analysis page, the more justification there is to
continue this exercise each year. That's why I didn't provide the direct links
to each of the above texts (all of which are to external websites) --- as
a courtesy to the person/organization who posted the above collection.

---

From the
Canadian Union of Public Employees:

Federal Budget 2013 Key Pointshttp://cupe.ca/budget/federal-budget-2013-key
March 21, 2013
The 2013 Federal Budget should be a considerable disappointment: it involves
essentially no additional funding and actually reduces overall spending in
future yearswhich means this budget will effectively do little or nothing
to grow the economy. This budget actually cuts federal infrastructure funding
for municipalities and provinces through the Building Canada Fund (BCF) from
presently allocated levels by $250 million per year and is back-end loaded
so there will be very little available for the next two years.

---

From rabble.ca:

Budget 2013: Smoke, mirrors and very few
detailshttp://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/karl-nerenberg/2013/03/budget-2013-smoke-mirrors-and-very-few-details
By Karl Nerenberg
March 22, 2013
Finance Minister Flaherty's budget says newly announced spending cuts will
amount to $600 million over six years. On the revenue side, budget 2013 promises
that a variety of tax measures, including closing loopholes and cracking down
on tax cheaters, will yield an additional $7.9 billion over the next six years.
That sounds like a lot of new money coming in, versus spending reductions.
But we may have to wait for the fine print in the budget implementation bills
to find out how it will all really shake out.

---

From the
Caledon Institute of Social Policy:

The Skilled Budget (PDF - 68K,
13 pages)http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/PDF/1007ENG.pdf
By Ken Battle, Sherri Torjman and Michael Mendelson
March 2013
Skills and training comprise the centerpiece of the federal Budget 2013. But
the federal document is also a skilled Budget. The government has been training
Canadians for quite some time  to dampen our expectations. The purpose
of creating a scarcity mindset is to set the stage. The ground work was so
carefully laid that Canadians were primed to expect doom and gloom. Any announcement
actually made is hailed as nothing short of miraculous.

Jim Flahertys dirty little job-training
secret : Canadian employers
won't bother training workers as long as they can import cheap temporary help
from abroad.http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/03/22/jim_flahertys_dirty_little_jobtraining_secret_walkom.htmlBy Thomas Walkom
March 22, 2013
The federal government says it is serious about job-training. It is not. If
it were, it would not make it so easy for business to hire cheap workers from
abroad. This is the dirty little secret about job-training in Canada. Employers
dont train workers because most dont have to. They expect government
to train workers at public cost. And if that doesnt work, businesses
expect government to let them import from abroad workers who are already trained.

2013-2014 Budget Highlights [ PDF -
67.49 KB]http://www.finance.gov.yk.ca/pdf/budget/2013-14_highlights_e.pdf
March 21, 2013
Ten years after the Devolution Transfer Agreement and Yukon Party government
administration, Yukon continues to enjoy one of the strongest economies in
Canada:
 posting nine consecutive years of real GDP growth and exceeding the
national growth rate in eight of these years;
 doubling of the Yukon Governments budget since 2003-2004 with
the 2013-2014 Budget being the ?fth budget to exceed the $1 billion threshold;
...

Saskatchewan Provincial Budget 2013-2014http://www.finance.gov.sk.ca/budget2013-14
March 20, 2013Balanced Growth
The Government of Saskatchewan has achieved a balanced budget that:
* Balances growth by controlling spending while continuing to invest in priority
areas,
* Supports quality of life for Saskatchewan's growing population, and
* Balances economic progress with social progress.
NOTE : This is the main budget page; it includes links to all budget papers,
a selection of which appears below.

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
releases Alternative Federal Budget 2013http://www.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/updates/ccpa-releases-alternative-federal-budget-2013
March 11, 2013
Today, the CCPA releases the Alternative Federal Budget 2013: Doing Better
Together. This year's AFB shows how growth-killing austerity can be replaced
by a plan that strengthens the economy, leads to a better quality of life
for all Canadians, and eliminates the deficit by 2016. This year's Alternative Federal Budget:
* reduces poverty and inequality by investing in
child care, pharmacare, affordable housing, income supports, and post-secondary
education,
* tackles the ongoing crisis for First Nations housing, drinking water, education,
* implements a long term, transparent and public plan for investments in infrastructure,
* creates 300,000 jobs, lowering the unemployment rate to 6% by 2014, and
* introduces a new top personal income tax bracket, closes the biggest tax
loopholes, and introduces a withholding tax on tax havens.

Alternative Federal Budget 2013http:// www.policyalternatives.ca/afb2013
- includes links to the full 171-page report along with the budget in brief
and four infographics showing what the federal government could do if it decided
to seriously tackle Canadians largest social, economic, and environmental
concerns.

Alberta Budget 2013: Responsible Changehttp://budget2013.alberta.ca/
March 7, 2013
Budget 2013 delivers the responsible change Albertans want and expect. The
budget is a sensible fiscal plan that responds to the Bitumen Bubble. It builds
a better Alberta by investing in families and communities, securing new markets
for our resources, and ensuring we live within our means.

Building Alberta: Budget 2013 delivers
responsible changehttp://alberta.ca/acn/201303/33776467BA8EE-974B-B20F-52190B23D6EAA8DD.html
March 7, 2013
News releaseHighlights:
* No increase to operating expense ($36.4 billion - same as 2012-13 forecast)
* No new taxes or tax rate increases
* Bitumen bubble drops non-renewable resource revenue to $7.3 billion
* $15 billion over three years for infrastructure projects
* WTI oil forecast of $92.50, WCS forecast of $68.21
* A new plan to set aside savings every year
* Economic growth forecast of 2.9 per cent in 2013

A Budget Plan to Convert Alberta's Fiscal
Woes into Fiscal Fortunes (PDF - 656K,
4 pages)http://www.td.com/document/PDF/economics/budgets/ab2013.pdf
(...)
There were three themes echoed in the budget: (1) to live within the governments
means; (2) to build the future of Alberta by investing in families and communities;
and (3) to expand markets and get the highest possible return for Albertas
resources. While the budget carried very few measures, each budget theme was
highlighted in some manner. (...) While the 2013 budget season is still underway,
Alberta could be one of the only Canadian governments to rely exclusively
on spending restraint to restore fiscal health.

2013 Alberta Budget Analysis
March 2013 fACT sheet (PDF - 428K, 2 pages)http://www.edmontonsocialplanning.ca/images/stories/pdf/FactSheet/fact_sheet_alberta_budget_march_2013.pdfExerpt from Concluding Comments:
Budget 2013 is a post-election budget. The slogan for this years budget
is Responsible Change. Yet, with the exception of early childhood
intervention, the changes being implemented are entirely in the direction
of either freezes or outright reductions. Other cuts that will negatively
impact low income Albertans include reduced support to the voluntary sector
through the elimination of the Community Spirit matching grants, and the elimination
of the Safer Communities Innovation Fund focusing on crime prevention. The
Alberta government spent much of the past year developing a social policy
framework. The framework has not resulted in any significant initiatives to
eliminate child poverty in 5 years or reduce overall poverty in 10 years.

The analysis covers a number of areas:
* Ten Year Homeless Plan
* Affordable Housing and Rents
* Income Support (Alberta Works program)
* Income Support (Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped - AISH)
* Employment and Training Programs
* Persons with Developmental Disabilities
* Seniors Programs
* Child Care
* Child Intervention and Protection
* Family Violence and Early Intervention
* Concluding Comments

Alberta Budget Sends Mixed Message to
Vulnerable Albertans & Non-Profitshttp://www.actiontoendpovertyinalberta.org/images/stories/documents/momentumbudgetresponse2013.pdf
March 8, 2013
Calgary - Momentum Community Economic Development is encouraged by the consultation
process of the Social Policy Framework (SPF) but is surprised that the 2013
Alberta Budget made no mention of investing in poverty reduction. This is
despite a strategy expected to be released later this year. The government
has missed a major investment opportunity to reduce long-term costs to taxpayers
by investing to prevent poverty in this budget. It is estimated that poverty
costs Alberta between 7.1 and 9.5 billion dollars annually.

Related link:

Action to End Poverty in Albertahttp://www.actiontoendpovertyinalberta.org/
Action to End Poverty in Alberta is a non-profit initiative that works collaboratively
with all levels of government, the community and with people experiencing
poverty, to help develop and implement a comprehensive strategy and action
plan to end poverty in Alberta.

Alberta borrowing $4.3B to make up budget
shortfallhttp://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2013/03/07/edmonton-alberta-budget2013.html
March 7, 2013
The Alberta government is facing a $1.97-billion deficit and is borrowing
$4.3 billion to pay for capital projects and to make up what Finance Minister
Doug Horner called a "cash requirement" of $6.3 billion in the 2013-14
provincial budget. The budget  unveiled Thursday in the face of a $6.2-billion
loss in non-renewable resource revenues because of dropping oil prices 
contains program cuts but no increase in expenditures and no new taxes.

2013-14 Budget Highlights (PDF - 468K,2
pages)http://www.finance.gov.nu.ca/apps/authoring/dspPage.aspx?page=budgets&year=2013
The Government of Nunavut is investing across government priorities.
Highlights include:
o $1.9 million in the Pathway for Adult Secondary School (PASS), a program
to help Nunavuts adults earn their high school diplomas.
o $7.0 M to the Department of Culture and Heritage, to promote the equal status
of Inuktitut, English and French and to help GN departments and agencies meet
their language obligations.
o $4.2 M to hamlets through a new Municipal Funding Formula, which will help
hamlets improve their services to Nunavummiut.
o $1.4 M to support the GNs participation in assessments of major mining
projects, so we continue to ensure a high standard of environmental stewardship
in sustainable
development.

Restoring integrity to the budget processHTML version :http://www.3dpolicy.ca/node/231PDF version (1.8MB, 4 pages) : http://www.macdonaldlaurier.ca/files/pdf/MLIInsidePolicy/FebMar2013/Clark-DeVries.pdf
By Scott Clark and Peter DeVries
March 5, 2013
(...) It is now recognized by most observers of the federal budget process,
that the integrity and credibility of the process has been seriously eroded
in recent years. ed in recent years. Less information is now provided to the
public in budgets than under previous Liberal and Conservative governments;
the authority of Parliament over government spending has been weakened; the
understanding of Canadians as to what the government is actually planning
to do in the budget has been eroded. Canadians should be concerned not just
with the erosion of Parliaments authority, but also ultimately with
their own ability to hold the government to account for its actions.

We believe there are a number of actions that
need to be taken to restore integrity and credibility to the budget process.
They may seem simple and even mundane, but their importance to Parliamentary
authority and to Canadians is huge.

Inside Policy (MLIs flagship
magazine, free online) is produced by the
Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI)http://www.macdonaldlaurier.ca/
The Macdonald-Laurier Institute is Canadas only truly national public
policy think tank based in Ottawa. MLI is rigorously independent and non-partisan,
as symbolized by its name. Sir John A. Macdonald and Sir Wilfrid Laurier were
two outstanding and long-serving former prime ministers who represent the
best of Canadas distinguished political tradition.

---

Related links:

A disgrace and an insult to Parliament:
Ex-Finance officials launch scathing critique of Tory budget secrecyhttp://goo.gl/hhG5y
March 4, 2013
(...) For his 2012 budget, Flaherty introduced two controversial omnibus
bills that were each several hundred pages long and contained policy
changes which critics said had nothing to do with the budget. Flaherty was
accused to trying to jam contentious changes throughout without sufficient
review by MPs. Clark and DeVries said the bills were a disgrace and
an insult to Parliament and to Canadians and have undermined the budgetary
process. Little information is now provided in the budget, so it has
become impossible in reading the budget documents to fully understand what
the government is actually proposing to do. There is a clear lack of transparency
and accountability.

3D Policyhttp://www.3dpolicy.ca/
This is the blog home of Scott Clark and Peter DeVries.Recent postings:* Minister Flaherty should be worried- March 5, 2013* Once again the main estimates are misleading- February 27, 2013* Fiscal Monitor for December 2012 : signs point to a lower deficit outcome
for 2012-2013- February 23, 2013* A black period ahead for the Parliamentary Budget Office -
January 31, 2013

A Pre-Election Balanced Budget (PDF -
628K, 4 pages)http://www.td.com/document/PDF/economics/budgets/bc2013.pdf
Selected Highlights
 A balanced budget target of $197 million in fiscal 2013-14 is achieved
through a combination of increased tax measures, controlled spending growth,
sales of surplus assets, as well as a healthier provincial economic growth.
(...)
 A 1% increase to the general corporate income tax rate and a temporary,
two-year increase to the personal income tax rate for those earning $150,000
or more per annum.
 Although the government is hoping to meet its commitment to balance
its budget by fiscal 2013-14, converting a $1.2 billion deficit into a $197
million surplus in one year will be a tall order. The government hopes to
build on this accomplishment with medium-term surpluses in the later years.

BC Budget 2013 News Releasehttp://www.policynote.ca/bc-budget-2013/
February 19, 2013
Budget may be balanced, but lack of action on poverty, climate
creates serious social, environmental deficits. The 2013 BC budget focuses
on balancing the budget at the expense of British Columbians present
and future wellbeing.
(...) The CCPAs main concerns include:
* The BC Early Childhood Tax Benefit, which does not kick in until 2015,
is too small an amount to make a real difference for families: the benefit
is $55 a month, whereas childcare fees range from $800-$1,400 a month.
* Medical Services Plan rates continue to rise and have nearly doubled since
2000. Families will now pay almost $140 per month in MSP, a regressive tax
that no other province charges.
* Even with the increase in corporate taxes, the province will be raising
as much revenue from MSP premiums as from corporate taxes.
* The lack of action on climate change is disturbing, as we see an increase
in severe weather events and other consequences of climate change.
* The continued lack of a comprehensive poverty reduction plan, even as most
other provinces have created plans. BC has the highest poverty rate and the
second highest child poverty rate in Canada.
* BC is not getting a fair return on our publicly owned natural resources.

Spot the Seniors: 2013 Budget Editionhttp://www.policynote.ca/spot-the-seniors-2013-budget-edition/
February 21, 2013
By Janine Farrell
As mentioned in last weeks Speech from the Throne and Tuesdays
2013 provincial budget, BCs population is aging. Its projected
the seniors population in BC will double over the next 25 years  meaning
more than 30% of our population will be over the age of 65 by 2036. While
the budget does mention aspects of health care needed to respond to this population
shift (doctor and specialist visits, prescription medications, home
health care and residential care services with attention to the impacts
of frailty, dementia and other health issues on seniors and their families
plus enhancing the quality of life and supporting healthy aging in the
community), there is nothing in the budget to actually address these
issues or ensure our system will provide appropriate care for our changing
population.

Budget Strains Credibilityhttp://www.strategicthoughts.com/record2013/budgetcredibility.html
February 19, 2013
Immediate news on the 2013-14 BC budget naturally focuses on unexpected tax
increases: the 10% corporate tax rate increases to 11%; a "temporary
two year" 2% increase in income taxes for those making over $150,000,
a 4% increase in MSP premiums and a $2 per carton increase in cigarette taxes.
Three of those four measures might have been expected in an NDP budget. (...)
Notwithstanding the tax increases, it remains doubtful whether the budget
is truly balanced.
(...)
The only thing that will resolve the debate over whether the budget is balanced
or not is the audited financial statements, but they will not be available
for fiscal 2013-14 until June or July 2014, 16 months from now and well after
the election.
(...)
The stage has been set for what the Liberals probably hope will be an election
debate over balanced budgets. It is not clear whether that debate will be
vote determining for enough people so as to make a difference. With their
credibility challenges that debate might backfire on the Liberals because
we got into our current situation as a result of twelve years of Liberal rule.

B.C. budget achieves balance, as billed
(with video):
Finance minister says government will increase general corporate tax rate,
sell off up to 100 surplus propertieshttp://www.theprovince.com/news/budget+achieves+balance+billed+with+video/7986813/story.htmlBy Cassidy Olivier
February 19, 2013
VICTORIA  Under pressure to table a credible budget ahead of the spring
election and bound by a government pledge to pull the provinces ledger
books out of the red, B.C. Finance Minister Mike de Jong delivered a pre-election
budget on Tuesday that promises to withstand the smell test and also deliver
three-consecutive years of modest surpluses by hiking tax rates, controlling
spending and selling off government assets.

* A Government Close to Families
http://www.budget.finances.gouv.qc.ca/Budget/2013-2014/en/documents/Communique_1en.pdf
Highlights:
--- A new progressive and fair health contribution
--- 4.4 million Quebecers will not pay the health contribution or will see
their tax burden decrease.
--- Cancellation of the increase in the price of heritage electricity
--- Refundable tax credit for physical, artistic and cultural activities for
young people
--- Creation of 28 000 new reduced-contribution childcare spaces by 2016-2017
--- 3 000 social, community affordable housing units will be built

The PQ budget : Analysis by Mathieu Dufourhttp://www.progressive-economics.ca/2012/11/23/the-pq-budget/
November 23, 2012On Tuesday, November 20th, the Parti Québécois
released its first budget since taking office. This budget was widely anticipated
in view of the many fiscal promises the PQ had made during the campaign, most
of which where fairly progressive in nature. In the end, the exercise was
(aptly) described by Marc Van Audenrode, who followed the proceedings and
interviewed with Radio-Canada, as a non-event. For all intents
and purposes, the budget could have been delivered by a liberal government
and certainly, given its content, there was no need to rush things ahead of
the usual spring schedule.

A String of Budgetary Balances Forecast
for
the Province of Québec (small PDF file)http://www.td.com/document/PDF/economics/budgets/qu2013.pdf
November 20, 2012
Todays budget was the first to be tabled under the new provincial government
led by Premier Pauline Marois. Initial media reports had labelled the release
as a rare fall budget, but in actuality, the Québec government is the
first out of the gate for the 2013 budget season.

The PQ Budgethttp://www.progressive-economics.ca/2012/11/23/the-pq-budget/
By Mathieu Dufour
November 23, 2012
On Tuesday, November 20th, the Parti Québécois released its
first budget since taking office. This budget was widely anticipated in view
of the many fiscal promises the PQ had made during the campaign, most of which
where fairly progressive in nature. In the end, the exercise was (aptly) described
by Marc Van Audenrode, who followed the proceedings and interviewed with Radio-Canada,
as a non-event. For all intents and purposes, the budget could
have been delivered by a liberal government and certainly, given its
content, there was no need to rush things ahead of the usual spring schedule.
Source:
Progressive Economics Bloghttp://www.progressive-economics.ca/relentless/

---

Opposition parties to oppose PQ budget
Quebec budget focuses on curbing spendinghttp://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2012/11/20/parti-quebecois-budget-2012-quebec-government.html
November 20, 2012
The Parti Québécois' new budget failed to impress provincial
opposition parties Tuesday, who say they will oppose it, raising the possibility
that the recently elected minority government of Pauline Marois could be toppled.
(...) Finance Minister Nicolas Marceau called his first budget a responsible
plan for the provinces economic future. (...) The
$72.4-billion budget doesnt contain any drastic changes in spending
or tax collection, but it does hitch its plans to less stable sources: wealthy
Quebecers and big industry. It also proposes strict limits on spending hikes.
The province plans to cap its spending increase at
1.8 per cent in 2013-2014. That represents the lowest budgeted growth rate
in the last 14 years. Its a dramatic reining-in
that was made necessary by the Parti Québécois's determination
to fund key priority areas, while attempting to appease the opposition and
eliminate the deficit by the target of spring 2014.Source:
CBC News http://www.cbc.ca/news

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